WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — Marathon County residents are being asked to check the latest version of the FCC Broadband Access map to make sure their coverage is accurate.
County Supervisor and Broadband Task Force Chairman John Robinson says the latest map is more accurate than previous versions, but they’re still finding inaccuracies in it. “This time they relied upon Internet Service Providers and there was a quick turnaround time. There is potential for error so we encourage all residents, whether Marathon County or not, to check the map.”
If your address is incorrectly showing access to high-speed internet, Robinson says there is a process to file a challenge with the FCC. You can also contact Marathon County, who may be able to file a bulk challenge for multiple addresses as well.
“For instance, in the Eau Claire Dells Park there was an Internet Service Provider (ISP) listed that we had never heard of. That would result in that are not being eligible for funding from the federal government in the future. We want to correct that information,” said Robinson. “We need to know what the speeds are [upload and download]. If they aren’t adequate we need to make sure that the FCC map reflects what’s actually there.”
The final version of the map will be used to help determine how the federal government will split $42.5 billion among the states for broadband access. Robinson says Wisconsin can expect to get between $700 million and $1.1 billion out of that pot.
It’s unclear how much of that money would come to the county.
